


More Than A Feeling

by HippieGeekGirl



Category: Wet Hot American Summer (2001)
Genre: Canon Gay Relationship, Committed Relationship, Established Relationship, Fluff, M/M, Missing Scene, References to First Day of Camp, Same-Sex Marriage, This gets ridiculously sappy and I am not sorry, canon-typical weirdness, very mild angst
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2015-08-16
Updated: 2015-08-16
Packaged: 2018-04-14 23:30:28
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,078
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/4584345
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/HippieGeekGirl/pseuds/HippieGeekGirl
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>As the summer draws to a close, Ben and McKinley decide to make a promise to each other.</p>
            </blockquote>





	More Than A Feeling

**Author's Note:**

  * For [anemptymargin](https://archiveofourown.org/users/anemptymargin/gifts).



**11:53 PM**

The slightly tinny sounds of the song coming from the speakers of a half-abandoned tape player cued Ben in to the fact that it was time to leave the party for a while. Preferably before Susie tried to kiss him again. He slipped away from the group with an overly casual excuse, easily finding the well-worn path to the lakeside. McKinley was already waiting for him as the light filtering through the trees cast a warm glow over the shore. 

“Hey.” He took a seat on the log they'd commandeered as a resting place, nestling into their usual position leaning against each other. There was a shout from somewhere behind them as McKinley wrapped his arms around him. 

“Everything okay back there?”

He shrugged. “As far as I know. Coop probably set something on fire again.”

“Probably. He gets really into the whole toasted marshmallow thing,” McKinley agreed. He sighed softly, a little too close to Ben's ear.

“Are _you_ okay?”

“Yeah...” He didn't seem to be listening though, staring over Ben's shoulder at something in the water. “Are we sure none of the toxic waste ended up in the lake?”

Whatever he was looking at was coming closer, sending out ripples as it emerged from the shallows. It seemed to be basically human-shaped, with various bits of vegetation hanging from it. Ben held his breath until it reached the light, and then he relaxed. “Hey Gene.”

Gene just blinked at them and muttered something about them being good kids, awkwardly patting Ben on the head as he wandered past them towards the mess hall. (No one was actually sure where Gene slept, or even _if_ he slept.) Once they were sure he was out of hearing range Ben shook his head, picking a few bits of duckweed out of his hair as McKinley laughed and held him tighter. “Ew.”

“I really don't want to know what we just interrupted.” He enjoyed the rather horrified look on Ben's face at the thought.

“Seriously, though.” Ben turned to look McKinley in the eye, once he'd recovered from the mental image. “What's up?”

Even in the semi-darkness, it was impossible to miss the frown on his boyfriend's face. “Just thinking about what happens after tomorrow.”

Tomorrow was technically later today, but Ben wasn't about to point out the dwindling number of hours they had left until everyone went home. “I don't want to leave.”

“Neither do I.” Life at camp was... well, nothing with such a high potential risk of injury or worse could possibly be called 'idyllic,' but it was still a place where you could leave normal life behind for a few weeks out of the year. The rest of the world was waiting, and with all that they'd discovered this summer, the thought was a little intimidating. “You gonna be there when I do?”

“Yeah.” Ben answered without hesitation. “You?”

“Duh.” On some unspoken cue, they moved in for a kiss, only coming up for air long enough for McKinley to whisper in Ben's ear. 

“Hey, you know what we should do?”

**7:25 AM**

The planning, such as it was, kicked into gear over breakfast the next day. (The morning's menu consisted of a yellow rubbery substance that vaguely resembled scrambled eggs, along with oatmeal that could be used to patch the leaky roof on Bunk Five. It actually worked out pretty well, since everyone else was either too sleepy or too grossed out to eavesdrop.)

“I think we should ask Beth.” 

“Really? I didn't know she could do that.”

“Camp directors can totally marry people. It's like being a boat captain.”

“I'm not sure that's actually a thing.” 

“Shh, it's fine. Who else are we going to ask?”

“Are you guys talking about what I think you're talking about?” There was a clatter of plastic cutlery as Susie sat down across from them, stomping her way into Ben's personal life the same way she always had. He couldn't help noticing McKinley visibly tense up at her arrival. They'd gotten along okay since they'd had the whole “sorry I accidentally stole your boyfriend” talk, but she was still a bit too.. intense for him. Ben caught his eye and he nodded.

“Yes...?”

She stared at them with the look that always reminded Ben of a cat trying to stalk a toy mouse. “Leave everything to me.”

After she'd left without even tasting her food (and who could blame her, really?) McKinley leaned over to speak in a hushed tone. “Was that a good idea?”

“You think she'd take no for an answer? Besides, it's less for us to worry about.”

“.... Good point.”

**1:37 PM**

They'd agreed to meet later that afternoon, when everyone would be occupied with activities, and McKinley just managed to make it in time. In addition to securing Beth's eager agreement. Susie had also rounded up Coop and the guy with the guitar whose name he could never remember. The whole aesthetic she had going on was too excessively floral and he was pretty sure she'd gotten her ideas from somewhere in the Shakespearean canon, but as long as the end result was the same, he didn't really mind.

Once he was dressed for the occasion, she reached out and stuck a blossom behind his ear. She was still giving him that same cat-ish look. “I'm really happy for you guys, but I swear if you do anything to fuck this up I will _personally_ guarantee your balls will never see another summer.”

“... That's kind of a weird threat, but understood.”

She just shook her head, but there was a smile on her face as she turned and called “Places!”

In the years that followed, neither of them would fully remember the details of what followed. Beth had teared up as she pronounced their union official and Susie played the flute surprisingly well, but McKinley had mainly been focused on the feeling of Ben's slightly sweaty hands in his, and the happily amazed expression on his face as they looked into each others' eyes. In the end, none of it was about making their relationship right in the eyes of the law, or with God, or even with their friends, though they were both grateful for the support. All that really mattered was reaffirming the promise they'd made to always hold onto each other. 

As they walked back to camp hand in hand, they never wanted to let go.


End file.
